Killing Me Softly
by holmesfreak1412
Summary: [The Hunger Games AU] [Sasuke/Hinata/Naruto] They are killing her softly and yet he, who is safe and sound and the one spared from the arena is the one who feels like dying.
1. The Beginning

Title: Killing Me Softly

Author: holmesfreak1412

Fandom: Naruto-The Hunger Games AU

Pairing: Uchiha Sasuke & Hyuuga Hinata

Genre: Drama, Romance

Rating: T

Summary: They're killing her softly and yet he, who is safe and sound and the one spared from the arena is the one who feels like dying.

Disclaimer: I don't own either of the Naruto and The Hunger Games Franchise.

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**Killing Me Softly**

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**A Hunger Games AU**

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**_In penance for their uprising, each district shall offer up a male and female between the ages of twelve and eighteen at a public "reaping". These shall be delivered to the custody of the Capitol. And then transferred to a public arena, where they will fight to the death until a lone victor remains. Henceforth and forever more, this pageant shall be known as The Hunger Games."_**

**-Treaty of Treason **

**The Beginning**

**.**

**.**

_Sasuke_

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**i. Reaping**

**"The reaping is a good opportunity for the Capitol to keep tabs on the population as well. Twelve- through eighteen-year-olds are herded into roped areas marked off by ages, the oldest in the front, the young ones, like Prim, toward the back."**

**―Katniss Everdeen speaking about the reaping**

**"The time of the year I always dreaded. And seeing you in the same stage as I is when I realize that I can have more valid reasons than plain lethargy."**

**-Uchiha Sasuke, victor of the Sixty-Eight Hunger Games as he speaks with his tribute, Hinata. **

**…**

When Hyuuga Hanabi's name is called, there is a stunned silence. Quietude hanging heavily over the large gathering, their eyes wide from surprise and their lips set into a thin, contemplating line. The crowd holds their gasps. The spared line of eligible female potential tributes sighs in relief. The breeze flies by ominously, enshrouding the entirety of the Konoha Lumber district in a silence so awed you know that they are already smelling victory from the far future.

But it is not without a carefully veiled satisfaction. They are lucky this year.

Everybody knows of Hyuuga Hanabi. Everybody knows of how old she is. But nobody does anything about it. This is not the first time that a twelve-year old got reaped. This is not the first time a **female **twelve-year old got reaped. But with the utterance of this year's female tribute's name, there is but no cause for hopeless lamentation this time around. Everybody knows Hyuuga Hanabi—she is after all a household name amongst many of the academy trainers, the gem of the illustrious Hyuuga Clan. The scarily skilled mayor's daughter. The young prodigy. At twelve, she can throw knives and execute kills like nobody's business. At twelve, she can survive in the wild, chop logs, hunt with snares and climb trees. At twelve, she is already a natural-born killing machine with a Career Tribute's mindset. With this, Sasuke finds himself realizing the reason why the trainers and the other victors are all smiling contentedly to themselves. At twelve, Hyuuga Hanabi could actually win. Like Uchiha Sasuke did, seven years ago.

He was twelve too when he cleverly electrocuted all of the remaining tributes in his arena, despite their inherent industry all but a far cry from that of anything that remotely concerned technology and intelligence. Observing a tree burnt by lightning had been but a scholarly diversion but in the end he did effectively utilize it anyway and made even the most murderous of the Gamemakers fall into their knees when he finally managed to tame their unruly thunder. He was made a legend back then. The young boy who was more than just a face and blunt force.

Before then, he wielded a chokuto and slit throats and stabbed allies and murdered cowering children that were older than him without mercy because if it's not them, it's him. Survival of the fittest. That is the evolution of the world, right? Fifteen days, he lasted in the arena. Seven years, he has been savoring the lifestyle being a victor gave. Ten lives he ended publicly just to live until today. His life he wants to end now too but is unfortunately no longer free to do so. It is possible. Hyuuga Hanabi is just like him. He could see it in her eyes. And she would be like him too when she wins and survives. The one wishing that he was the one who died.

Until… you find someone to actually live for.

Hanabi proudly walks towards where she is meant to, head high. But he can see that she herself doesn't want this. At least not yet. She still has many years ahead of her and she knows as well as everybody that most twelve-year olds don't live past the Bloodbath and see the sun rise to signal the next day of yet another slaughter.

But Hanabi is not most twelve-year olds.

And she is like him too… right?

He cast a glance towards where the seventeen-year olds stood. He couldn't see **her**. He wishes he could. He would have promised her that he would be performing as the best mentor Hanabi would need.

_Don't worry… _

The technicolored escort in eccentric animal fur cardigans and killer heels calls for volunteers among the still deathly silent mass, wondering aloud whether anyone who thought themselves more skilled than Hanabi is willing to take her place as this year's district representative. Upon sighting a few of the academy's trainees at the side—burly, young women who had practiced beating logs to a pulp but more mature eighteen-year olds who now seemed resigned to let the obviously more promising Hanabi to take the place—he doesn't expect anything. Nobody tried to volunteer when he was called back then and Hanabi is just like him, right? Konoha children know better than to possibly jeopardize their one chance to be spared from starvation for the next year. And when you see someone good enough onstage, you don't try to force yourself on the limelight and volunteer. Konoha wants their tributes to be winners because this is the best you can be.

No, Hanabi is victor quality. And everybody knows that. She would win. That's because Sasuke would help her as best as he could. He didn't manage to save Neji from last year. So he would try his best for this girl. Because… Because… Because…

For… For… For…

That is until; a clear voice rings out amidst the deafening silence, cutting easily through the ice made by the district's whole resolve to let a little girl be their representative in a death pageant. Her tone questioning their ethics. The declaration sounding rather heroic.

From the first step of the stairs leading to the stage, he sees Hanabi's slightly teary eyes widen, as if from horrified recognition. And Sasuke himself doesn't want to believe it. But he knows that voice too… It is.. It is… It is… No… No… This couldn't be happening…

"I volunteer!" it proclaims a tad too hesitantly at first before somehow getting a form of resolution from the people's collective expression of askance that it almost is heavily palpable. The speaker shouts with dignity this time and it strikes him like when a tribute aimed pebbles to ward him off from being her executioner when he realizes that he would be able to pinpoint exactly what in the world he is feeling had he not been shaking from too much apprehension from what he is sure is going to be dreadful.

"I volunteer as tribute!"

And just like that, a mouse of a seventeen-year old girl cuts her way amidst the crowd. She stumbles forward, indigo hair sticking out everywhere and her white, featureless eyes darting around in trembling fidgets. She is shaking. She looks like she's going to cry soon. The crowd gasps, unbelieving that the words came out from this fearful girl who can't even stand straight and make sense of her previous actions. The trainers are livid. What have they taught them all these time in the academy? Hanabi is more than good enough for this! She can throw her axe like no one could! She's the one! And she-

Meanwhile, Sasuke feels like his world is ending. This couldn't be happening. Not to her. Not to them! Didn't he tell her just this morning that he would like her safe and sound and beautiful as ever once he comes back? He would have kept Hanabi safe no matter what anyway! That girl is made to be a winner! She would win! She would come home and her older sister wouldn't have to take her place in this battle of death. But here she is and if her unwavering stance is of any indication, she wouldn't back away anytime soon.

Hyuuga Hinata straightens herself up and much to all of Konoha's eternal shock, enunciates again. This time, with more determination than she previously played out. "I volunteer as tribute." is her lucid announcement, stance courageously unwavering.

And this is when Uchiha Sasuke knows that the girl who has kept his heart alive in the past seven years—the bestfriend he never knew he still would manage to acquire despite being worse than a criminal for killing children for a fucking television show- is ironically the one who would kill it. Softly. Softly. Softly…

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**ii. Justice Building Goodbyes**

**"The Justice Building is a place in each district where official business is conducted and is presumably the seat of the regional government acting as a town hall. Children go to the Justice Building to sign up for tesserae. It is also where tributes are taken once they have been reaped for the Hunger Games. The tributes bid farewell to their loved ones before being taken to the Capitol."**

**-About the Justice Building (The Hunger Games Wiki)**

**"This is where I thought I left my heart back. Until it fluttered again in the arena."**

**—Hyuuga Hinata, victor of the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games**

**…**

Uzumaki Naruto gets reaped a few minutes later and he shakes Hinata's hand.

Sasuke knows she would have blushed and stuttered and fainted at another time. But this is not the right time for that.

When Sasuke finds her in the waiting room, she is already sobbing, her pitiful misery reverberating around the room and it tears the heart that he doesn't know to still exist inside him into irreparable smithereens.

Hiashi has already come by then and has slapped her. Hard. Because she's being stupid and Hinata, we all know what you just did is suicide in itself. You aren't supposed to go in the Games. You are not ready. You are not strong enough. You are weak. And here comes a man who have told Hanabi many a time that murdering other children would be as easy as slitting a rooster's throat.

Hanabi fared no better and that's not because she thought herself higher. Or that Hinata just stole her chance of a good life for all of them as a victor away with her stubbornness and so-called older sister code. Or even the glaring fact that Hiashi found it a better alternative if Hanabi is to be sent in battle royale in the Games where one out of twenty-four odds, she might perish like Neji did two years ago rather than for Hinata to risk her life. From what Sasuke could see, what Hanabi is most upset on is the reality that Hinata didn't even regret any word that she has said in the reaping. And that the older sister she loves the most in the world didn't even have the audacity to promise that she would come back.

But Hinata still has regrets.

And hell, if she doesn't want to return home as badly as they all want her to as well.

"It pains me." She sniffles out on his shirt, her face buried on his chest as it instantly burrowed itself in once he came in and embraced her for dear life. Because that's what best friends do. Because that's what he wants to do so badly that it hurts. He wants to kiss her so bad. And it is killing him. Softly… softly.. softly… "It pains me that Naruto-kun might have to kill me in order to come home. He has to, right? His family is waiting for him and Sakura-san might just finally accept him when he comes home a victor, right? And he really wants to be a hero. It's really bad. I feel really bad. I mean, I'm glad Hanabi is safe and because her name is already called, she wouldn't likely be reaped again. And once I die, she would be too afraid to volunteer again. But Naruto-kun… He might just kill me. And I don't want that. Not until I tell him what I feel…"

_That I love him. _

And Hinata is never afraid to die for those she loves.

Tears come out from her eyes and she wails.

His arms tighten around her and he tells her, in a soft, soothing voice that he suspects is not from the bloodthirsty victor the Games made him to be but actually from the Uchiha Sasuke who loves an oblivious woman for so long and feels himself dying every second she thinks she would. He puts his lips on her ear, breath ghosting because he's just about to tell her about something important.

_That I love you too. _

And Uchiha Sasuke does everything for those he loves.

"Naruto wouldn't kill you." He assures her and he kisses the top of her head because that's as far as him being her platonic niisan could allow him. He took that place ever since he failed to save Neji last year. She didn't blame him. She never did. He tries not to stare at her lips, those red temptations he can't seem to look away from. He fights the urge to just claim her now that he might lose her forever. He draws her close instead because this just feels so damn right.. "Naruto wouldn't kill you. He wouldn't. He never will so don't worry, okay?" He kisses her hair again. And again. And again. And again. She is letting him because she is hugging him even closer than before. "I'd make sure of it."

"It wouldn't be painful then?" she asks. When you talk of your death so casually like it is just a trek to the woods, you know there is something wrong with you already. "Sasuke-kun I'd prefer to have it be—"

"Hush. Listen to me. For the last time, I wouldn't let Naruto kill you." He sounds exasperated. He says this with finality. And he is still yet to pull away from her strong, deathly hold. "Nor would I let anyone else try."

And she doesn't dare argue because she hears a promise—a declaration even—made only for her.

..

**iii. Train Ride**

**"Most of Panem's citizens are not authorized to travel by train unless they are reaped for the Hunger Games, as travel between the districts is forbidden except for officially sanctioned duties."**

**-About the Train Ride (The Hunger Games Wiki)**

**"I think that was where I realized that I could never kill you. And that perhaps, this is going to be the last time I board this but hell will come before I let that be the truth for you. You're coming home Hinata. And that's because you will make me an eternal promise, believe it."**

**-Last Day in the Arena. Uzumaki Naruto to Hyuuga Hinata. **

The train ride to the Capitol—to death, as Hinata whispers glumly to herself, much to Sasuke's inner despair— theoretically lasts for three long days, and that's already them running an unbelievable two hundred fifty miles an hour. By ordinary standards- like the steam train the few in the Merchant side of Konoha can still afford to embark, the trip would have taken two weeks at least. And by ship, a month. Oftentimes, Sasuke finds himself wondering whether some of the more pessimistic souls who were forcefully carted in the Games by sheer misfortune had at one point wished that things were more primitive. That it would take more than those measly, fast, short three days for them to reach their destination. Advancement could be a foe and in the case of a dystopian world that couldn't allow the majority the advantageous benefit of being born to the 22nd century of knowledge and power, that just hits the mark. The Train Ride is a dreadful affair, a bitter prelude to the Game of Death that would invariably ensue once they are finally delivered. They know they wouldn't arrive safely. Tributes and victors alike never do. That established fact—for it is already proven roughly seventy-four times already—is what that is that kills you softly in the meantime.

When he was in the Sixty-eight Hunger Games Uchiha Sasuke had never felt any of these —what was he but a cocky kid who didn't even have an ounce of an idea that in the Hunger Games, there never is a winner? Conceit had been a predominant emotion then. He knew he could do it. His mentor made sure about that too. And when he really did it and saw exactly what he shall be afterwards, there was no backing out. Guilt isn't even the most foremost thing. They were going to kill him too so it was only right to beat them to that as well. But there was fear, that smoldering feeling that threatens to incinerate your chest into bits and yet never could kill you quite enough. More often than not, he always found it wishing that he was the one who died, impaled by swords and mauled by the hawk muttations. He wishes it wasn't him who won. He wishes he wasn't that arrogant, ignorant twelve-year old boy who foolishly thought he could best his elder brother by volunteering. He wishes he had never met Hinata… And that resolve alone, was what he is afraid of the most.

The burnt husk of his childhood home… His parents' dead body… Itachi drowning amongst the mysteries of the sea… Hanabi getting reaped… Hinata volunteering… Naruto having better chances… The cannon booms… Hinata's corpse carted by the hovercraft…

This is his life as a victor. This is bound to happen.

Experiencing luxury in the Hunger Games is by no means extraordinary. The more resigned Tributes genuinely appreciate it as most of them have probably starved all their lives and maybe death wouldn't be so bad if you get to eat, be dressed and live as someone you only dreamed to be even for a little while. Some of the more rebellious souls resent the pretentious Capitol for it. Others are just already too much of a walking dead to preoccupy themselves with such triviality. Stereotypes they may be, but nevertheless they give him what to expect each year. That's not to say they are used to it though. Victors never would be. Sasuke certainly isn't.

Beautifying Tributes with all these efforts is only a blatant allusion to fattening sheep before the lethal trip to the butchery, such an inside joke between victors that they know would never make any tribute laugh. But nevertheless Uzumaki Naruto is currently enjoying it, completely ignoring a disdainful Sasuke, an amused Kurenai and a taciturn Hinata while he slurps a bowl of deliciously-made ramen in one go. All this while noisily munching a few desserts here and there, a taste of the appetizer and a spoonful of the entree with no apparent regard of any such thing as order or manners. He invites everyone else to devour the array of catering with him. They all decline.

The prep talk is probably the only thing that made train ride rather worthwhile. It is tradition and even if you are but an inebriated mentor who could care less whether your Tributes die, one has to do it in order to fulfill your lifelong obligation of saving your district from the annual draught. The moment you won you already are their hero. The moment you emerged a victor, you already are their slave. It is here that the Tributes have their stats of survival determined early on and their weakness be distinguished in order to eradicate it as much as they can. In his Games, Sasuke has had the advantage of being an enough looker at twelve to win over the more pedophiliac sponsors with a smile and a touch of daredevil deadliness. It helped in the arena , especially when the unavoidable thirst in the desert they have for a battlefield is making him delirious. Neji had had several sponsors last year too but unfortunately, the GameMakers had to kill him off for a reason they never did disclose.

Naruto can hunt, make snares and evade pursuers like he's made for it. Reportedly, he's also quite the axe-wielder who the Peacekeepers somewhat had no way of convicting him as an illegal logger, as tenacious as he proved to be. He is Konoha's urchin, a destitute, dirty, vagrant boy from the Seams who stole anything that is of use in the Merchant's Square, anything to feed his family for the night. He was an orphan, his parents executed early in his infancy by the Peacekeepers because they smuggled too much firewood in their home and the only family he could ever call were other kids and irregulars who found themselves in the same shoes as him. But he is a survivor, despite never having been trained in the Academy and otherwise universally hated. And Konoha knows of that. Naruto actually had that chance to win too and had he been paired with Hanabi, they would have made such a particularly intimidating Career tandem.

Kurenai takes him in because she sort of won her own Games by being smart and if there was anything that made Naruto vaguely flawed as a tribute, it is his impetuousness. Sasuke is left with Hinata because as far as his fellow mentor could tell, he wouldn't let anyone else handle the safety of who most likely is the most important person to him.

Hinata has never trained in her life, dainty hands meant only to press flowers and not to choke out the living daylights out of another human being. The farthest she got into the logging operation is probably the trimming of weeds at the backyard of their mansion, hands so gentle in her craft that she could never make even the most menacing of shovels a lethal weapon. She is the darling of the main house, the precious princess of the Hyuuga Clan that both Hanabi and Neji was born to protect. One who possessed the innocence Sasuke realizes that what has drawn him to her in the first place. She is never made for the Hunger Games and perhaps that is what the entire district is disappointed with and the reason why her father has slapped her when he should be tearfully saying his farewells.

The reason why Sasuke who thinks the world is too much grimly realizes that beautiful things like her indeed never lasts in their ugly, ugly world.

Hinata could heal though and somehow that makes Kurenai's inference more believable. Naruto and Hinata would make a good enough team. Her ointment to his brawl. Her calming personality to his hotheaded demeanor. Hinata would be quiet when he's being far from stealthy. Hinata would want to escape when he's dense enough to try to bring it on. Theoretically, they are the perfect balance. "Who knows…" the red-eyed mentor tells him at the end of the day when both tributes are already snug asleep inside their bunks. Kurenai's crimson orbs are fixed on the digital clock, counting some dreadful hours. "… maybe they would be the last two in the arena and Konoha would have the best chances…"

You mean Naruto would have the best chances?

"Maybe Konoha would have a victor this year."

And she is not talking about Hinata. Not at all.

"That boy… He is a survivor…"

What about Hinata though?

He doesn't say the thought out loud though because from what he can already see about Hinata, that's something he definitely can't deny. She is never of winner quality. And those that are not ready for the Games, never come back whole.

So his only chance is to make those bastards audience see what he has seen.

"I'm confident." He responds, taking a quick swig from his drink. Kurenai's red orbs are trained at him carefully, reading his soul. "I'm confident that I can make them like her."

Hinata is attractive enough. And with a few designs, Sasuke knows that they would love her. He just have to let her live long enough and when the time comes… when the time comes… when the time comes…

"You seriously don't want to repeat history, don't you?" Kurenai tries in vain to make sense of his selfish resolve. "I mean, Sasuke-kun—"

"I know what I am doing." He cuts in and there is determination in his voice that not even the promise of a miserable future can contend with. "I want my charge to live."

He just has to decide whether he would let her live long enough to see the Hell he is doomed to live for herself.

The Train Ride, is all but Charon's ferry because whatever angle you try to peruse it with, you know you never would come home safely. Because in the Games, there never is a winner.

And he sees how Hinata knows this because when in the third day he reminded her to stay alive, she laughs and it is broken and hell, she already sounds like how he did when he was informed on how he should live from now on when everything else he loves has perished. "Tell me that again Sasuke-kun…" she breathes in slowly and his hold in her involuntarily tightens. He just wants to cry. "Tell me that again when the odds are finally on my favor. Tell me that again when I don't have to die. Tell me that again when the person I love is not there to kill me anytime. Tell me that again when I can actually do something already. Tell me-"

"Hinata." He mutters and she stops to listen. She always does. "I'm your mentor. I can do something."

"You can't even save Neji-niisan." She whispers but she succeeds on keeping the clear accusation her words are inflected with away from her sullen, defeated tone. "What makes me any different?"

_That I love you, _he wants to scream but that is something she is never ready to hear. Not now. Not now. Not now. Not now that Naruto is within earshot of what she herself wants to confess. "That you can actually win." He consoles instead, as if that is something obvious enough. "And you know there's hell to pay if I didn't make sure of that. Neji wouldn't like it and you know I made a promise."

"But I don't want to win." She counters but it is hollow. Half-hearted. Her eyes are closed and he realizes in that leakage of tears that Hinata thinks too that nobody is ever the winner. The one who would win in this is the true loser, things she probably learned from the rebellious Neji who saw more than the naivete Sasuke once had.. She doesn't say that aloud though because it's him she is talking to. Hinata just prefers to die and Sasuke wonders whether she just doesn't care how much she meant to him as long as she is spared from the pain she must have realized already that he is agonizing from.

She breaks away from his embrace. He lets her. And somehow for the second time in this hellish week, he knows this wouldn't be the last time that she would slink away.

…

TBC

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**So I guess you pretty much have an idea what to expect? Feel free to tell me whether this should be put in the crossover sections and whatnot. I would have posted this on tumblr, where I read recently that somebody wants a THG AU but I'm not exactly a cyber Neanderthal and I have no idea how to post on tags so here it is. **

**This story is short. Probably will be finished soon if the muse persuades me to type again as this is but the quelling of my THG plunnies. Nothing serious but I know full well where this goes. Next chapter shall feature Naruto and the Tribute Parade, the Capitol and the Training Centre. Prepare for the parralelisms. XDD **

**Love Wheel shall be updated next week. As we speak, I'm halfway down the sixth chappie and might continue it tomorrow should the rain be nice and let us postpone our volleyball game. Damn varsity.**

**Please review. I'd like to know what you would want to read. I know I'm not the only one secretly wanting this characters to participate in this Battle Royale and I certainly I'm not the one who wants a Sasuhina! Greek Mythology to happen (which I might write soon). Haha. **


	2. The Preparations

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**The Preparations**

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_Naruto_

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**iv. Capitol**

**"Remember who the real enemy is."**

―**Haymitch Abernathy, referring to the Capitol.**

"**They're ugly."**

**- Uzumaki Naruto to Hyuuga Hinata, upon arrival**

Once upon a time, there had been relentless rain in the place now known as Capitol, once casted off from mainstream and named appropriately as Amegakure. Showers so unstoppable nobody even had an idea how a rainbow should look like, let alone visualize the mythical pot of gold that reputedly lies at the end of those bow of colors. The people in there, obscured as they were with the darkness of the cumulus didn't know the promised hope, disdainfully resentful only of what they thought was a curse to have befallen them. When wars broke out, they were its center, inadvertently thrown as they were with the bigger nations' conflict that they did not really care about. They were angry. They hated and that was what made them a threat. Abhorrence was their weapon and for almost a century, it continues to be effective.

A huge revolution later and Amegakure became the Capitol, successfully veiling their smoldering hatred with fancy suits and pretext of democratic governance. When the rains of yesterday were something nobody could stop, their enormity and reign in the present is now something no one can go against to. Today and it is already seventy four years going, the Capitol is awake twenty hours each day. They have good idea what a rainbow looks like now and that is probably the reason why all their citizens are colored that way with apparent disregard of regular aesthetics.

They are happy. They are feared. They are hated. They eliminate all threats. And they try to simmer down the districts' own abhorrence so as not to overshadow their own.

They are respected. And that what authority is to them.

They are the great Capitol. The one that should be hailed. The one that hosts the well-rewarding Hunger Games.

Naruto just thinks that they are the ugliest. Because seriously, what kind of people take drugs so that they can keep themselves conscious enough for senseless partying? In a way, they are like zombies, kept alive by the rest of normalcy's misery and feeding off with other people's death. They take in the Hunger Games like it is the best time of the year, worshipping its victor for the time being and totally casting off the rest that shed blood for people who took it for kicks. Uzumaki Naruto is not scared of them though. He never was, even as a tribute now. But the world can sure use the space without them.

So even though they arrived at about three in the morning when no sensible person in Konoha would ever be caught loitering around their heavily patrolled streets, he is not surprised to see that there is still a multitude of absurdly-hued rainbows welcoming them, faces caked with a yellowish tan that if they aren't so many of them being lively and jumpy all in one place, would easily pass off as that of a sick man's. They wave jovially as they alight from the just whooshing train, hooting at the sight of Hinata who blushes, greeting Kurenai cordially who nods, whistles promiscuously at Sasuke who feigns an exultant smirk and sizes Naruto up because he is grinning confidently when his partner looks like she prefers to be anywhere else in the world than here.

Like she prefers to die.

Naruto wonders whether they are already betting their cash out initially about who is to be killed first in the arena and when exactly it would happen.

He clenches his fist.

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**v. Dressing Up**

"**What must it be like, I wonder, to live in a world where food appears at the press of a button? How would I spend the hours I now commit to combing the woods for sustenance if it were so easy to come by? What do they do, all day, these people in the Capitol, besides decorating their bodies and waiting around for a new shipment of tributes to rill in and die for their entertainment?" **

**- Katniss Everdeen, referring to the bustle of life in the Capitol**

"**When I looked at myself in the mirror, I realized why you do what you do. Why you seem so different in TV. Why I don't like watching you kiss other girls. It's because when I saw myself, I know that it isn't me. And I realized it wasn't you the people saw either. Those alters were from the Capitol. That's not the real us. I don't want them to be."**

**- Hyuuga Hinata to Uchiha Sasuke, during the victory tour. **

Naruto has never interacted with Hinata in the past, even though they go in the same school, belong to the same year, talk the same people, listen to the same baloney lessons that told you garbage about hailing the Capitol and the Treaty of Treason and how justified killing twenty-three children on television is every year. Just because some aeons ago, their ancestors had made a mistake of not working hard enough to win their uprising.

Even though he always invariably appeared in her home's back door to deal with the mayor for shrimps. Even though Naruto sincerely thinks that she is really nice, for a spoiled Merchant kid anyway. Hinata and him never talked. But he can tell that the problem is not in her side of things. Kiba really likes her and for a savage Seam kid who bared sharp fangs, wielded sharp claws and was too wild for his own good, that is saying something. Others from the underprivileged enjoy seeing her around town, thinking it such a pleasure to speak with someone as sweet and good-natured as her. Naruto never talked to Hinata. He never felt like he deserves to.

She is after all, the epitome of what purity should be, something that being born next to no one in this world didn't, couldn't make him to be. She is the person everybody wanted to be and whose muffled but striking enough presence could make one feel inadequate. She is who Sakura secretly dreamed up of being, when after a long day came her usual string of complaints about how unfair the world is for even setting up some political dynasty for mayoralty amongst the districts when we all know that the authority doesn't get hairsbreadth with that of the Capitol's—and yet can't deny that Hinata-san is really nice and I wonder if I could be so, if I were in her place. She is the one who inspired Naruto to go on and on and fight, and fight and fight even though she probably didn't even realize she was doing so. She is Konoha's darling, so dazzling that Naruto always felt unholy on stepping the same ground as her blessed feet do.

After all, how is handing a burnt bread to a starving, half-dead boy amidst a rainy day any significant to such a charitable soul as she? She probably doesn't even remember that time. But unknowingly, she did save his life and pushed him to go on and fight for a more productive one. Hinata doesn't know it but Naruto wants to protect her with all of him. He owed her his life. Because that is who he is, dammit. And the Capitol better think again if they attempt to steal his identity as they are obviously hellbent on taking away his life.

They are tributes now.

One way or another, he would have to tell her.

_Thank you. _

_For being for there back then. _

So he makes a deal with Uchiha Sasuke.

"I'll protect your Hinata in the Games." Naruto offers, as the two of them are left alone in the dressing room. Naruto nurses the feeling that the mentor came here for the same proposition he is currently making. His inquisitive blue eyes meet with his dark, stoic ones and with a smirk, he rejoices that he has indeed read him right. Uchiha Sasuke's sleepless nights in the train ride, along with the fact that he is always just about to knock on Hinata's door definitely meant something. The guy's one of them love struck fools the Capitol enjoys fucking around with. "Just take care of my friends. Make sure they eat. You're rich, so you can do that. And oh, tell Sakura-chan that I love her too. Last time we saw each other, there are a lot of things to do and so little time. "

There is a suspicious glint in the man's eyes but Naruto can tell that he is at least considering the offer. He should. He loves her. Even though, Naruto clenches his fist, he probably doesn't deserve to.

In the Capitol, Uchiha Sasuke has quite the reputation, able to go at least four lovers in one visit. He is the Capitol's sex symbol, their standard of what real and natural beauty is. His tales of promiscuity are everywhere, as notorious as Faust himself. But in their district, he is as reclusive as a hermit, preferring to stay inside the confines of the victor's village and later, as he realizes in the company of Hinata. The death of his family after his victory is still the district mystery. An infatuated Sakura called him Charasuke at one point. He is a Capitol man. And they are evil. But Naruto can tell that Sasuke is not.

He is just protecting the only one left that he loves.

"Why would I believe you?" he drawls out with some menace, hands placed on his hips in an attempt to intimidate him. Naruto has long since been immune to that though. This man is no peacekeeper and even those weird masked blokes with the whip and electrocutes can't force him to pee in his pants. He knows of Uchiha Sasuke. And he can sense from his tight jaw and curled fists that he is more broken than he lets on.

He can sense the man just wants to cry.

"You don't have to." Naruto responds with a shrug. He keeps the eye contact, unfathomable pits blue colliding with the sad hue of onyx. "But trust me, I don't think I will emerge alive in this Games but if I could, I want to protect her in the meantime. I have a debt to pay and I have to make the most of this opportunity even if it means my death."

And he is surprised to hear the truth in his voice.

"And if I couldn't protect Hinata, I promise I would make it fast. I wouldn't let those other sadists do it, believe it. You prefer that don't you?" He smiles at him, quasi-hopefully. "Or perhaps, you'd rather she live?"

"Frankly, I don't care much about you."

"Figures. I don't want to win either. " Naruto chortles then it is all serious again. "I protect her from the enemies inside. You promise me to protect her from the real ones, okay? They're the more dangerous in the bunch. Them, I mean." And he gestures towards the Capitol, with all the bright lights, and the parties and the money, things they wouldn't have if not for this unjust suppression of the other districts. "They are the real enemy."

Sasuke promises. Naruto realizes that he must be lying. He doesn't believe he can do it himself.

"Believe it." Are his parting words, before he leaves the room to meet up with Hinata.

He knows well what to expect.

…

**vi. Tribute Parade**

"**The chariot rides were very important because it was a chance for the tributes to make an impression on the citizens of the Capitol. Most tributes, to make a good impression, would smile and wave and appear friendly. This is also the first time the Capitol gets to see the tributes, so a very good impression is important in order to receive sponsors." **

**-The Hunger Games wiki, about the Tribute Parade/Chariot Ride**

"**And when they held hands, I know that there's an angle that needs exploring. Sasuke won't like it. But I have to do this. For the alliance. For the rebels. I just have to put the idea in their heads."**

**-Yuuhi Kurenai, thinking to herself that the world now needs a dose of star-crossed lovers. **

**.**

The girl who joins him by the waiting chariot doesn't look like Hinata, with all the ludicrous colors and the glowing body. But he himself doesn't look like Naruto as well so even amidst the layers of absurd makeup and ridiculous dress that this little, fragile, vulnerable girl dons, he still recognizes her.

"Yo Hinata!" He greets, jumping up from his chore of feeding their horses a dew of the sugar cubes rationed by one of the Avoxes. Poor servants who got their tongues cut for talking too much. "Looking good." He lies.

To his surprise, Hinata doesn't blush. And with a start he realizes that the girl didn't find the left-handed compliment at all amusing.

As expected, she is more concerned with the horses than she is with herself when she wonders aloud about the "fire suit" that the stylists make them wear to draw attention. They are from the Fire Country and consequently, the District of the Hidden Leaves so they think it just is appropriate for them to dress up as trees that are so hot and passionate with life that they are burning up. Brown and green suits with fire effects. The stylists all gushed that it would be the latest fashion around after this show. Naruto couldn't help but think to himself that he prefer his clothes tattered and vagrant if being a tribute is what it meant to be elegant.

In a more optimistic way though, it reminds Naruto of the story they use to smuggle around the Seam, when Peacekeepers are out of earshot and they don't have any fuel for the gas lamp to at least brighten up the dark, monotonous nights. How many times has he heard of a man named Moses who freed his people from the iron grip of their conqueror? How many instances is there mentioned a miraculously burning tree that gave hope to those imprisoned by fate and unjust men who call themselves kings? How many times has he heard of a Man called God, who would save the world when they need him to?

How many times has he asked himself as a child: where is that God?

He looks at himself in the mirror. The man before him is far from God.

But Hinata… Hinata who is loved by everyone by Konoha. Hinata, who nobody wants to see dead. Hinata, who he is eternally indebted to. Hinata, who is nice, a gem, someone unfit to live in this world because she's too good for this rotten excuse they have for a place they habit in. Hinata, who would be like a beautiful flower in a dismal graveyard. Hinata who is with him now, a tribute. Hinata who Sasuke would pay him for to protect. Hinata is not God. But she is as close to an Angel as anyone in this world would ever get.

"Safety is just a word." He reassures her, taking her hand and squeezing her. He is satisfied to hear her squeak in embarrassment because the old Hinata is always the best Hinata. And the most beautiful. Hinata is not a Capitol woman. Neither is she a tribute. She is hope. She is an angel. And Naruto knows that no matter what happens, he'd make her win, believe it! There are so many like him everywhere, free souls who wants nothing more but freedom. But there could only be one Hinata, a pleasant reminder of how the world would be when they are finally in liberty. "You can fly without it."

Like a mockingjay.

No longer a caged bird. Someone he heard that Neji has always wanted to be.

To fly and grow wings.

It no longer matters how much blood it would require to glue those together.

And so he holds her hand for the rest of the parade, raising it up because that what they are. An alliance.

Their bodies are glowing, as they hold each other. They are the trees on fire, messengers from the God of Freedom.

"Thank you."

The ones the Rebels have been looking for.

…

**vii. Training Centre **

"**No fighting. You have plenty of time to do that in the arena."**

**-Atala to the tributes. **

"**This is just the beginning."**

**-Uchiha Sasuke, as the doors to the training center close. **

In the seventy-four-year bloody history of the Hunger Games, Kirigakure is the district that got the highest stats. A victor for every five games is a big deal after all and for a fearsome district that invariably belongs to the top five in every game; they are a huge threat to anyone's ambition. The districts and the Capitol alike has since learned to watch out for Kirigakure's yearly pair of ruthless and murderous representatives. The Mist takes their Hunger Games seriously. With an academy for killing and their own survival games held to determine the tributes for that year, they are bound to be dangerous. The Mist only sends out their best and more often than not, it proves to be challenging for the rest.

The downside to that stereotype is that Kirigakure tributes tend to be the least good-looking and charming of the bunch. Confidence and the sheer willingness to kill are not always the most appealing and Capitol fools are such a shallow mass that they cannot see potential for what it is and only preferring the one that they can stare at all day long. This is probably what Sasuke and Kurenai means when they told them that training scores are but immaterial and the three-day training pre-games is not yet the turning point that would determine their chances.

Sasuke won the games by smiling.

Kurenai won hers by being interesting enough.

"While in the training centre, you should just learn what quick is there to learn. Tie knots. Make fire. Set the most basic of traps. You wouldn't learn how to throw a kunai accurately in three days and if by chance you already are skilled, it's best that you don't show off." Sasuke explains this whilst escorting Konoha's pair of tributes towards the basement that houses the infamous training centre. They haven't shared the elevator yet with any of the competitors and for that Naruto is relieved. "We make our impressions during the Interviews. Remember that this is a television show. When you make people like you, it is more likely that the Gamemakers will keep you alive in a long time. Keeps a show going. You would matter the most if you significantly raise the ratings."

The Capitol is in control.

The Capitol watches.

Kurenai, who once duped the viewers into thinking that she is a meat to eat who does not have the wicked ability with poisons and the audacity to kill all those in alliance with her, adds. "In the training centre, you don't really need to show off all. Just show enough and you can easily be in the Career pack. You are from Konoha. That immediately puts you to a pigeonhole."

It's better to surprise them.

The red-eyed woman looks at Hinata. "And she's Neji's cousin."

Reputation helps as well.

The girl winces.

Sasuke thereby briskly picks on the topic. "Both Neji and his district partner Tenten made it into the top five last year. From what I can see, they expect the both of you to excel just as much as they did. They have already showed your backgrounds, the reaping and interviewed your peers. Children of the Seam tend to have some unique skills set. Tenten and her marksmanship proved that. And Hinata" he then directs his attention towards the female, the mentor's eyes unreadable. "You volunteered. And Neji was remarkable last year. They seem to think you have some trick up your sleeves."

She flinches.

She volunteered.

The angle they are pursuing is that she is better than Hanabi.

Naruto frowns.

Kurenai is serious and a bit sad when she drawls further. "For now…" she tells them, patting both of their heads as she finally ushers them towards the menacing double doors that opened to the rest of their adversaries. "… this expectation of theirs would keep you alive."

So stay so.

This year's set is particularly capable, Naruto observes sizing the rest of his opponents up. Kirigakure looks threatening as usual. But you have to watch out for Kumo and Suna's as well. Iwa is a thing to think about. But they can easily use that to their advantage.

The Hunger Games is just a television show.

And in order to be likeable, you just have to be the type to be a main character in a story.

All of this, Naruto realizes.

What more does these bastards like, he thinks to himself as he helps Hinata make fire. He makes sure to run his fingers on her bare arms. He makes sure that all the rest as well as the cameras see it. What more does these bastards like but a little bit of teenage romance?

Later that night, news of Konoha's star-crossed lovers is a buzz all around the nation. Naruto knows that mission survival is a success.

The two of them are going to be this year's Games' main attraction.

**(TBC)**

**I updated. No surprises there because I know what to write already and how to proceed with it. To be honest, I didn't expect much response for this fic because it is essentially a crossover but you guys have been nice and because of that, I will continue this. Next chapter shall feature the training scores, the briefing, the interviews and of course, the Cornucopia Bloodbath in Hinata's point of view. But yes, you guessed. We will have Naruto and Hinata pretend to be star-crossed lovers in the arena. With a twist. **

**Please review. Because me thinks that I need all the encouragement that I can get. **


	3. The Admission

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Part Three

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**The Admission**

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Hinata

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**vii. Training Scores**

"**Most tributes desire the highest scores possible. The Career Tributes generally score between eight and ten. Sometimes, tributes aspire for a low training score so that they appear weak, but then catch the rest of the tributes off guard."**

**-The Hunger Games Wiki, about the Training Scores**

"**I believe that life should never be relegated into mere numbers. But I have to admit that when I first saw my birth certificate is the time when I realized that my existence amounts to that of a downward spiral."**

**-Hyuuga Hinata, speaking about her district registration number. 012612**

Hinata got a rating of four.

Although the flash of such an insignificant number could not help but disappoint her, Hinata knows she should not be surprised. What could she ever expect anyway? In the Private Training Session with the GameMakers all she did was stumble around stations helplessly and fuss about weapons she still didn't have an idea how to use. She threw kunais. It missed, barely grazing the dummy's arm. No surprises there. She fired an arrow. It was far from the bullseye. The GameMakers weren't even paying much attention but even they could tell, after the not-so-impressive aftermath as she walked briskly away in humiliation, that she was meant to die as soon as the BloodBath.

Hanabi would have retaliated right away by shooting one of her arrows right at the mouth of the roast pig and just a head away from the Head GameMaker. She would have been impressive, able to catch their attention with the skills that made her worthy as a volunteer tribute. She would have scored ten, because she deserves it. She would have been the star of the BloodBath. Hanabi would have been victor. But Hinata, who knows she could never be Hanabi, only wants to spare her beloved younger sister from the life she is aware she would lead once she got blood in her hands.

She does not want Hanabi to wish that she was the one who died instead.

Hinata doesn't think that she would win these Games.

Neji did not.

Even if by miracle she comes home a victor, she still wouldn't.

She has seen enough of Sasuke to realize that.

What better reprieve is there, but the freedom to die in your own free will? She knows she is being selfish. But for once, she wants to be the older sister Hanabi should have, she wants to be the person she prefers to be and she wants to protect the one she loves. Hinata is not afraid to die. That is because in their world, she knows she would. One way or another.

In their world, the best way to die is to die for someone you love.

She has an idea why.

"Training scores don't matter. I told you that, didn't I?" Sasuke says, voice laced with desperation when he corners her in her room that same night that the Hunger Games timeless hosts Deidara and Sasori announced with only a few numbers that Hinata is not someone you should be betting on. That it would be a waste of money. She wonders how low she is in the betting ranks now that she proved to be the tribute with the lowest scores. That she has the less skill of all, which is the painful truth. Even after resolving to die, Hinata could not help but feel the inferiority complex creeping to take over her again. Hanabi has warned her of this. "You know well that Kurenai got a score of three in her Games." Sasuke mentions in addition, as though that afterthought can offer some sort of relief. "You shouldn't take it seriously."

"But she is pretending. There is a difference. Kurenai-sensei actually has skill Sasuke-kun, something I lack." She squirms against his looming frame, feeling trapped. The man's smoldering look does nothing to help either. He has her trapped against the wall and the worst thing is that, Hinata has no idea how to escape. What more when you have twenty-three other people wanting to murder you? "Kurenai-sensei actually can kill. I know about the poisons. The darts. She can… win. And she did."

Sasuke does not relent. "Which is the exactly point. Over the years, the Capitol has learned not to count out the tributes that got the lowest scores. Particularly the older ones. They don't like to be duped but at the same time, they are thrilled by the fact that you are trying to conceal yourself so for now, you are still high on their betting lists. You are still a suspicious character. Tenten got low last year but—"

"She didn't win."

Sasuke sighs, aggravated. "She did not win true… but being on top five is a high enough achievement for someone who got a score of five."

"I don't get it Sasuke-kun. I just don't." She whispers softly, closing her eyes as she tries to keep the tears from falling. They are rebellious though. She can feel Sasuke's hold from her loosen slightly and gradually as the space between the wall and her trembling body becomes more breathable. She does not look at him. She could not. "How can you say that it's an achievement when she still died in the end?"

She can see it as if it was yesterday. The avalanche coming to them. Neji and Tenten running away. And then the fated silence as the snowmageddon heavily splashed itself into the overhang they thought they can hide from. A sheet of white. And then two cannons boomed. Neji and Tenten's face showed in the skies. They were dead.

No questions about who did it. The Capitol got some trick like that whenever the Games got rather monotonous for their taste. Five days and all the tributes were already in hiding. When they felt like nobody is dying, they would kill the tributes in a freak disaster, each getting more creative as the years pass in a blur. But most of the time, such events are only orchestrated to flush the tribute out of his hide and face the others in a death match. Neji and Tenten's deaths felt more like an assassination more than anything. Sasuke wouldn't tell her but Hinata could see it. Neji said something that the Capitol didn't like and for that they killed him. Tenten was just the casualty who was unfortunate enough to be the witness. So they killed her too.

"How can you say… that I am going to win?"

Because Hinata knows she never would.

She is Neji's cousin, as Kurenai pointed out. They hate him. So they would kill her too.

Hanabi getting reaped is not an accident after all. Cursed all those who thought the Reaping is but a game of misfortune. The higher ups of the Capitol want to see another white-eyed person die. They chose Hanabi. Hinata couldn't allow that.

One way or another…

"How can you say that…" she murmurs and she knows it is broken and she knows he can hear it and she knows he cares and she knows she doesn't. She hates Sasuke for giving her empty promises. She hates herself for still hoping. "How you can say that when you can't even save Neji-niisan?"

Those words were what she said in the train ride. She can tell that it rings some nostalgic bells.

Hinata tries to slip away but Sasuke's hold to her does not budge.

And then in a shock that is so electrifying she only felt it coming when it did, she feels Sasuke's lips pressed on hers

..

**ix. Sponsors**

**"Some water, a knife or even matches can mean the difference between life and death. And those things only come from sponsors. And to get sponsors, you have to make people like you."**

―**Haymitch Abernathy to Katniss Everdeen**

"**They like me already so it shouldn't be too hard to ask them to like Hinata too."**

**-Uchiha Sasuke**

I love you.

Those words ring in her ears and stay there in a cacophony of the deafening silence. She lies sprawled on her comfy bed, fingers grazing slightly to where she still feels the swollen abrasion that is caused by Sasuke's insistent demeanor in making out. They have not gone so far. He has kissed her. She kissed back. And there certainly were no clothes tossed away. But the intimacy of what they did in the hallway alone made Hinata feel horribly exposed. Even now, she still couldn't suppress the blush from creeping on her. This… this new development frustrates her because it doesn't make sense. Her beating heart… the sadness in Sasuke's eyes… the intensity of their kiss. She was sure they were just friends… She was sure she was ready… She was sure that she has already left her heart behind with the grief-stricken Hanabi… until now.

Is it wrong? She asks herself, sinking further to the blankets. The only thing that she likes in the Capitol so far. Is it wrong that I want more of him now that I know that he has always wanted me?

I love you.

And you're mine.

I wouldn't let anyone take what's mine ever again.

Hinata knows that his family died shortly after he was crowned victor but she never would have imagined…

Sasuke has already left for somewhere, leaving her mulling over her own misery while she wonders whether he kisses those Capitol women the way he just kissed her. Tells them he loves them like he did to her. In the past three days, he was always off to someplace during midnights, coming back only in the mornings looking like he has not gotten sleep, thoroughly disheveled. Naruto whistled that it was just the "teme" being "on it" again. Kurenai seemed somber as she forlornly munched her breakfast. Hinata had many a time stared at the red marks on his necks he was trying desperately to hide, feeling that uncomfortable stirring in her gut that she didn't understand until now.

Until now.

It was instinct.

Sasuke has been doing these- vanishing at late nights, partying with the Capitol, going home with some rich woman, refusing the gifts they lavish him afterwards because "Baby, I have something better to ask you. You see my tribute, Hinata…"—all because he is trying his hardest to give her a favor in the only way that he knows how to.

Everything is for her.

"I have managed to secure some sponsors." He always said every time Kurenai perfunctorily asked about how "things", whatever they were, went. "Chances are they would support our tributes. I convinced them."

And it took a lot of work.

"I just have to give them the phony smile and the cock-and-bull-endorsement and—"

He is selling his body.

"We have the best chances in sponsorship I think."

He is trying to keep her alive in the only way he knows how.

In tears, Hinata ponders about whether she should be grateful.

…

**x. Briefing**

**"After your first Games, I thought the whole romance was an act on your part. We all expected you'd continue that strategy. But it wasn't until Peeta hit the force field and nearly died that I knew I'd misjudged you. That you do love him. I'm not saying in what way. Maybe you don't know yourself. But anyone paying attention could see how much you care about him,"**

**-Finnick Odair to Katniss Everdeen**

"**Is it so wrong? Is it so wrong when it just stopped feeling like an act? And when I actually looked forward to both of us winning? i don't know what to say, Hinata. But I think—"**

**-Uzumaki Naruto to Hyuuga Hinata, before the final showdown**

The escort comes by to teach her about the art of walking in high heels—some ridiculously impractical footwear that could only be a weapon if you decide that an assailant's head is as dead as a doornail to be hammered—and speaking with enough grace that you could be mistaken into someone with refined education. Chikushudo insists that Deidara likes his interviewees to be fun and snarky and enjoyable and all things you wouldn't ever be when you know you might die the next day. The weird young woman with the piercings and orange hair advises that she should make jokes, be a braggart and if everything else fails, be seductive. Sasuke tells her that she should just be herself, because that is good enough for the Capitol who would surely appreciate a dose of Hyuuga innocence after Neji's stoicism last year. Naruto's comedic approach is natural to conversations so no problems. But Kurenai, quietly plotting and scheming Kurenai thinks better and otherwise.

"I think it's an imperative if you two go on with the lovers thing that the Capitol seems to be expecting." She suggests, watching both Naruto and Hinata take their ramp walking lessons, both of which very much struggling. "You have gotten pretty popular with the viewers, especially after they showed the clip where Naruto was always around you in the training centre instead of prospecting with the rest of the Careers. And let's not forget about the hand-holding in the Opening Ceremony. They think you are some sort of star-crossed lovers from all of those erm, 'evidences'. "

Hinata is struck surprised by the revelations, her heart in her throat. "They really think that?" she mutters, thoroughly dumbstruck. Naruto and her? Lovers? Sure, he has been breathing persistently on her neck in the past few days but being district partners and all, that is only natural. She has seen others do it. But come to think of it, he has really been touching her a lot too. Has she been too preoccupied with the smell of death to blush like she thought she would? Has she completely lost hope over Naruto? Or has she been too busy with these newfound feelings about Sasuke that she cannot help but think that nothing else is of importance?

She watches Naruto shrug to himself, obviously nonplussed as though he expects it.

As though he wants them to think that.

"We have to give them a show, right? And what's a show without anything to 'ship?" he says, whilst absentmindedly fixing his tie. His eyes avoid hers, choosing to focus on Kurenai and her thoughtful responses instead. "Hinata and I are already a team anyway. It'd be easy. And I rather like her. We are the perfect match, believe it!"

Naruto and his bluntness. Hinata and her heartache. She feels her chest constrict, overwhelmed by the surge of emotion upon hearing what they have to do. What hurts more but confessing a love to a person who already has established that it is going to be an act?

What hurts more than confessing a love to a person who you know is about to die?

Suddenly, her respect for Sasuke goes up a higher notch.

"Pretending to be in love could easily backfire to us." Is Sasuke's surmise as he sits at the corner, wine untouched and his frown very much visible for his motion to be branded as impersonally objective. He does not like this. "It has never been tried before. They may not fall for it, for all we know."

Kurenai is however, more assertive. "This is the Capitol we are talking about Sasuke-kun." The female victor reasons, standing up to help Naruto with his tie. "They are the shallowest people in the planet. Hm? Think of this: they can even delude themselves that you love them! Anything new you throw at them, they would easily eat it up in face value. Lover boy and girl-next-door. They're going to be the main attraction indeed!"

Kurenai has indeed, become a Capitol woman.

She knows how they think.

And she still is an expert in fooling them.

"And…" She turns her attention to Hinata, eyebrows cocked and her crimson eyes prying, reading, scrutinizing. Hinata couldn't help but think that Kurenai has more to take from this agenda than making their district attractive enough to harvest money from the sponsors. Than saving them. Her eyes are still on her and Hinata also could not help but think that this is infinitely much better than what Sasuke has to do in order for him to save her.

It is time to do her thing.

"… it's not like you have to pretend to be really in love with him, right?" Kurenai is without discretion whatsoever when she drawls out. "That's because you already are, right?"

Both Naruto and Sasuke stiffen.

One didn't see it coming. The other didn't want to hear it acknowledged.

So Hinata does what she can.

She nods.

She would do it.

…

**xi. Interviews**

"**The main purpose of the interviews is to show the rest of the Capitol a little about each tribute to help them choose their favorite."**

**- The Hunger Games Wiki, about the Interviews**

"**Winners should be a bang. The Games is too much of an explosion to ask for less. Hmmm."**

**-Deidara, TV host to The Hunger Games**

Improvisation is a must when you are a tribute, whether or not you are already fighting off hunger in the arena or facing a formidable enemy in a death match at the final day. Or even when you are just waving in the chariot amidst Sasori's impersonal commentary. Or just when you are sitting before the nosy Deidara in attempts to be the Capitol's definition of "fun". The thing is that, as much as Kurenai believes that the Capitol citizens are safely to be perceived as people with brains as shallow as a puddle and perception as dense as the ocean floor, the authority of such dimwits is still something to be differentiated. This, is what Sasuke reminds her when they are left alone for the mentor-to-tribute briefing, sometime when her bestfriend should be telling her what angle she should be pursuing.

The Capitol is in control.

Going along the flow of the river is a must in every game as well.

He does not tell her to be cute. He does not ask her to be funny. Nor does he try to make her appear dangerous. He no longer says some useless trash about being herself either. Nor does he discourage her anymore of the star-crossed lovers charade that might even put them into the bad side of this year's game. He just tells her… to improvise because he has the feeling that she would need it.

"The Capitol always has something up in their sleeves." He says, watching her twirl around herself with the dress that is supposed to glow when she spun around like a ballerina. Sasuke himself looks handsomely impressive in his slightly unbuttoned shirt and seemingly bedraggled form, something that would drive those Capitol women into self-induced coma. But Hinata, who had seen him on his worst, thinks that she prefers him in his dark colors of mourning and just serene and quiet by her side in a world where he is not a victor and she is no tribute.

He resumes. "The Capitol loves contradiction. And what else would be that if they don't make someone back home the ideal antagonist? You started the story rolling as soon as the first day of training. I think that's enough time for the flamingos out there to piece a story and make your tale about the star-crossed lovers more intriguing. It could be both a favor and a way to discredit you. Don't be surprised if we see Hiashi in some VTR. They like to interview the parents about such things, you see and not to mention the love rivals. The point is that you have to take advantage of what they throw at you. This is a game. And you have to play it."

Sasuke's motto after all, has always been use before being used.

But unfortunately for Hinata, that is not as easy as evading a rattlesnake.

"They would be testing you that way. To see whether you are the real deal. So you have to be ready. Hinata? You have to be ready, okay? You have to be."

She only nods.

But the conviction is there.

"Be careful Hinata."

So when they showed Sakura having sex with Naruto back in their last moments in the Justice Building live on TV to her, she is ready. Naruto was surprised that they have installed cameras in the Justice Building but quickly cross referencing from what Sasuke has already hinted, she hardly is.

Something like this is what the Capitol has always been known to do.

Hinata idly wonders why they chose not to show her and Sasuke in the most intimate position back then.

Deidara asking her whether Naruto had cheated…

The crowd wondering whether this is the makings of a love triangle…

Deidara inquiring whether who really is the third party…

The people thinking of Hinata as the bad, bad, bad Seducer…

All through this, Hinata remains unperturbed.

She realizes that this is probably the improvisation Sasuke has been talking about.

And so it easy for her to be sexy and coaxing and innocent at the same time when she suggestively remarks. "I always have this crush on Naruto-kun. Since I was twelve actually."

She stares at Naruto and Sakura's contorted forms and she knows. The moans… The slapping of skin. Sakura's eyes closed as tears fell, blood oozing from her lips in her attempts to stifle the strangled, pleasured gasp. Naruto would make a good courtesan, the back of her mind tells her as she recalls Sasuke and his interviews back then. Naruto is one hell of a lover. Naruto is like Sasuke. Naruto is just like Sasuke. Naruto would be like Sasuke.

She smiles, licking her lips. Because she already knows what to do. "And is it any wonder why I love Naruto-kun this much? I mean if this is how he compensates? Is it any wonder really?"

The Capitol goes wild.

Victor-Hinata is born.

The Games change you.

…

**xii. Strategy**

"**He did you a favor."**

**-Haymitch Abernathy to Katniss Everdeen, about Peeta Mellark's interview**

"**Unexpectedly, when I saw the look in her eyes, I realized that Naruto is after all not the Mockingjay. It's her. Hinata. Who Neji has always wanted to see once again. Who I could see now is someone Naruto would die for. Who I could see Sasuke would protect. And who I could see would give hope to the rest as the girl who loved and was loved."**

**-Yuuhi Kurenai, speaking to the Rebels from the Land of Iron**

Both Naruto and Sasuke is not at all pleased with what she said. Same as how a while ago went. One didn't see it coming. The other expected, but still could not believe it.

But she tells them that if anything, she was just doing them a favor.

Kurenai agrees. "Both of you are the older tributes in these Games." She reminds them, her impersonal drone knocking some sense to the already violently bickering pair of testosterones in the elevator. They listen to her with rapt attention, knowing better now that Kurenai's words always and invariably hold some significant weight. "And I agree now that they might not believe the teenager romance thing I would have preferred to act since you guys are already almost eighteen. These audience has the inclination for the mature. And what better intrigue is there but sex itself? There have been tributes caught by camera doing it but none has been openly suggestive of it until now. You promised a lot. In the Games, it doesn't matter if you fulfill it but the anticipation might keep you alive for the first several days. That is good improvisation from your part, Hinata. I commend you for that."

Sasuke's frown is visible even when Hinata's back is turned. "But that interview gave her a bad image." He notes, sounding obviously upset. "It only gave this good-for-nothing a favor. Only him! Who bangs a slut on their last day anyway? Who does he want to be? Faust? And to think this star-crossed lovers thing is his idea!"

"What did you say teme?!"

"You heard it."

"You!"

"A bad impression is always the best impression." Kurenai calmly reiterates, ignoring the aggression suffocating the little air that is there is the elevators. She addresses Hinata with a leveled regard, eyes serious. "Because either way it would not bore against you whether you prove it to them or you turn out far from what they expected. I suggest you just go with it. You never know. Being a bitch when you're not can actually save your life. The Capitol likes their tributes being great actors, you see."

"But—"

"Told you—"

"I understand." It is her conviction the quiets them all.

Hinata is not strong. Hinata is not a fighter. Hinata is not a killer.

But in a world where children are killed in a regular basis, you have to be a great liar to survive every time.

She knows she has to dupe them.

If the Capitol remembers her as one with superficial issues before she dies, Hanabi would be infinitely safer.

Or so she wants to think.

…

**xiii Feelings**

"**She crept up on me."**

**-Finnick Odair, speaking about loving Annie Cresta**

"**You only realize who you really are for when you are about to lose that person. That's what I realized when I was in the Justice Building with Naruto. I never knew it. I loved him. I still do. Hinata, I have so many things to say and so little time. You know, it really pained me when I saw him with you but I think that's just his way of telling me that when the time comes, I should tell Hinata-san not to waste her time any longer and say what she has to say. You never told Naruto that you loved him right? Please don't make another mistake like that."**

**-Haruno Sakura to Hyuuga Hinata, after the Games. **

That night, Hinata comes knocking at Sasuke's door.

"I want to feel what is there left to feel." She states as she undresses in front of him. "I want to feel what Sakura did. I want to know why you are so confident in saving me. I know what you do and I want to see what they for. I want to know why you say you love me. I want to feel loved for once,"

"Are you sure that this is what you want?" He sounds breathless, blissfully going past the implication that this… this… this is not about him.

It is about her.

"This is what you want too, right?" She replies back, crawling closer. Her voice is getting softer but from how her body still responds, even her subconscious is aware that there is no turning back. "I don't matter. But to answer your question, it is. I have right to be selfish too, right?"

She straddles him, feels his increasing heartbeat. Smells the acrid smell of sweat dripping in his heaving frame. Discovers why every woman dreamed and paid substantially for a single night in his chiseled, toned arms.

But she does not let him kiss her this time.

She does not want her heart to beat in its fastest when it already lost the right to.

(TBC)

Ehhhh? If you have read Love Wheel, it would be easy to catch the reference with the Justice Building cameras. And that I think I have an odd writing style for this one. And the quotes from the beginning of each section are actually solid foreshadowing to what will come later. So rest assured despite what it may sound that I know exactly where I am heading.

I'm really glad that people read this. I didn't expect much because not many people are fans of multi-chaptered crossovers but since some people are waiting for updates, I just got conformed and decided I like it too. Thank you guys for the support and I hope you review as well. I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Next chapter features the beginning stages of the Games (Bloodbath, First day, some info about the Careers, the reactions etc). All in Sasuke's POV so watch out for that (as I'll be alternating)

Please review.


	4. The Games

..

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Part Four

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The Games

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_Sasuke_

,

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**xiv. District Token**

"**They let you wear one thing from your District in the arena. One thing to remind you home. Will you wear this?" **

**-Madge Undersee to Katniss Everdeen. **

"**Sasuke gave you that because you are an Uchiha in his eyes. Heh. I'm still better than the teme then. I am giving you this because you are a victor in my eyes now, believe it." **

**-Uzumaki Naruto to Hyuuga Hinata**

Sasuke has realized, when he helped shed Hinata's clothing off the other night that she has not carried with her, anything from back home.

"Where is Neji's mockingjay pin?" he had asked, trying not to rummage on the mess of clothing balled on their knees. Hinata has always treated her cousin's only physical legacy with deference and he is a bit perturbed to find that it is not anywhere underneath her vest as he presumed this whole time. "Did you leave it in your room?"

He was answered by a shrug. "It's with Hanabi. It's safer there. You never know what happens in the arena." She whispered this, her tone grim. Hinata's eyes dimmed in resignation."And I don't think it deserves to see yet another Hunger Games. It is the only thing that we—Hanabi has from Niisan. I wouldn't want my sister to lose that too."

End of story.

Naruto's district token is something that surprises everyone congregated around the dining table as they share their last breakfast before the Games. Eyes wide in astonishment, both mentors easily recognize the simple design of the elegantly glinting crystal pendant whose notorious hundred-year history has already seen two Hunger Games. Been dripped in so much blood. Has witnessed so much undeserved death. Been seen prominently in Victory Tours. If sold, there would three mountains containing gold mines waiting for you. If not, there still is the notoriety.

Everyone in Konoha would know what it is. Everyone in Konoha would also wonder. The Capitol itself seems to have yet another reason to go wild.

How did Naruto, scoundrel orphan child of the filthy Seam, managed to get his hands on the legendary lucky charm that already saw three of Konoha's greatest victors win?

"But that is Hashirama-sama's charm!" Kurenai ejaculates this exact thought in utter amazement, crimson eyes looking over in awe as Naruto dangles the strings like he would brandish an enticement to a salivating dog. Light languidly refracts through the antique gem, casting an ethereal glow as Sasuke finds himself drawn to the very lure of superstition that embodies the ancient object.

It is the so-called victor's charm after all.

This Hashirama won the first ever Hunger Games. Dangling it before a giant fox mutation's eyes in an attempt of hypnotism did the trick. Taming and taking advantage of it was the key. In the arena, Senju Hashirama had been virtually invincible. The Gamemakers didn't have a chance to deter him. He was unstoppable. Thus began Konoha's reign as a Career district…

The three others who inherited the ownership of the same charm over the passing decades had also won their own Games. No exceptions. Tobirama survived by being the best swimmer. Nawaki was a great escape artist, though he did die all too soon afterwards before enjoying the rewards of his victory. Tsunade was phenomenal with her blunt force and the fact that hers had been the shortest Hunger Games ever. A retired mentor herself, she was the latest out of those three other Senjus to win and that was some thirty years ago. A bit miffed by this development, Sasuke questions the Seam rascal whether he is related to the now extinct victor-quality lineage in any way.

Senjus always win.

And if Naruto is destined to win, that only means…

Kurenai concurs that if he was, he would be able to gather more supporters than he already has. Popularity among thaw sponsors is a priority, provided that they survive the BloodBath that is. Kurenai is a foremost publicity stunt expert. She asks him to explain.

Naruto does, clarifying that he in fact, is no Senju. "I got this when I ran an errand for Tsunade baa-chan like hmmm…. months ago. She visited me in the Justice Building as well. Told me that this would keep me safe for some reason. And forced me to take this as a District Token since I am but a dirty Seam boy and I have nothing else anyway. " The blond then furrows his brows in askance , their undisguised interest now belatedly apparent to him. "Why? Is there anything special about it?" he asks. Kurenai sighs and tells him.

If the old had Tsunade gave him that…

Then she believes that Konoha will be hosting the victory ball this year.

And it is not about Hinata…

"Sweet." Naruto responds at the explanation, once the whole thing about the unreliable (Sasuke likes to think) statistics is over with. Sasuke begrudgingly gives the guy credit for being considerate enough not to scream enthusiastically about his higher chances with the ever enigmatic fate. From his seventh bowl of ramen, he glances up at Hinata, smiles with all of his teeth. Which Hinata acknowledges. Sasuke wonders why they seem so suddenly comfortable with each other now. And then he remembers that she did leave after they finished… "What about yours Hinata?"

Hinata shakes her head gravely. "I have none." She confesses, eyes quite solemn. "I think it's better not to have one actually."

It almost seems like…

Naruto remarks that it is a pity. Because anything from their district would have kept them _sane._

Hinata only murmurs that she does not want to smell a home that she might not have a chance to return to.

The atmosphere shifts to its heaviest.

Sasuke clenches his fist.

Later, he corners her by the door, gives her something, kisses her lips forcefully and relents when she harshly pushes him away.

Hinata asks him why in the world did he give her the Uchiha Fan necklace.

"Because any Uchiha wins." He says, smirking as he kisses her—the forehead this time, which she allows. One last time before hell. "And after last night, you already are an Uchiha."

Naruto is not the only one with the lucky charm.

Naruto is not the only one who has a home to come back to.

Naruto is not the only one who has someone to closely relate to.

Hinata is Sasuke's.

He finally made love to someone. He didn't just fuck her. And that is what matters.

"I'm betting on you."

He is not about to let her go.

The elevators rise. Hinata enters. The Hovercraft collects them. The Games begin.

Sasuke only wishes that the odds will be on his favor again this time.

**xv. Countdown**

"**May the odds be ever in your favor." **

**-The Capitol**

"**I don't even know why I ran away when I told myself I am already willing to die. Guess my body just moved on its own and that I really don't want to die just yet. Thank you Naruto-kun."**

**-Hyuuga Hinata, on the victory interview. **

This, he thinks to himself, is the worst goodbye in the history of goodbyes.

How can you tell someone who clearly prefers to, not to die?

The clock is ticking.

How can the Gods be this cruel?

Sasuke sits by the console, watching with bated breath as Sasori counts down into the inevitable bloodshed. Kurenai is beside him, eyes trained in rapt attention to the camera feed that focuses specifically on her tribute. Inquiries about sponsorship come forth. The prices of the essentials are pretty low for now but both know, by experience that the price skyrockets as the flames get hotter.

A single matchstick can cause ten thousand ryo at the most crucial moments. But there is a reason why Sasuke won. The sponsors know well he can pay them back.

Naruto's chest heaves but he looks alert and ready enough to keep his promise. On Sasuke's monitor is Hinata looking too small in her fitting green flak jacket that has Konoha's spiral symbols embossed for a distinguishable identity. She looks scared. Glances at Naruto fearfully, who shakes his head and tilts it towards the direction leading away from the Cornucopia and deep towards the unfathomable forestry. Looks down to her feet, apprehensively-curled toes too close to the self-destructive mines for Sasuke's comfort. Stares at the large, menacing structure before them. And then the clock ticks down to the last ten seconds.

Ten. Hanabi-chan, if you're reading this, I am pretty certain it's because I have died. I don't want to. But it couldn't be helped, I guess.

Nine. Neji-niisan misses me so much I guess.

Eight. Look at me, Hanabi.

Seven. Think through things. Then think about it again, okay?

Six. I actually don't like the Capitol that much. Naruto-kun tells me that they are the ugliest, you know. I kind of agree. And it isn't because it's Naruto-kun or anything like that. He's a nice guy. I hope you'll get to know him once he comes home.

Five. Or am I assuming too much? Don't ever come here anyway, okay?

Four. Because I know now that victors never win. I kind of don't want that life for Naruto-kun, you know but he still has home and I believe in him. Sasuke-kun too.

Three. Thank Sasuke-kun when he gives this to you okay? Don't ever cry, okay? Neesan is still watching.

Two. Though I hope it never would come to this. I wanted to live as well you know, even though sometimes I feel like I don't deserve to.

One. Something explodes. Far from Hinata at least. He could not care less. But he tucks the letter inside his pocket anyway, concentrates.

How can you tell someone not to cry?

It is the shortest ten seconds in his life. His own Games cannot even begin to compare. And it is killing him. Softly. Softly. Softly…

How can you feel like dying without being dead?

**xvi. Bloodbath**

"**Tributes seem to always die in the Bloodbath. The Gamemakers probably set it up for optimal entertainment value and quick deaths at the beginning of the Games to keep the audience interested." **

**-The Hunger Games Wiki about the Cornucopia Bloodbath**

"**I can't believe we're going through this again."**

**-Uchiha Sasuke, during the Quarter Quell **

The first kill occurs fifty seven nanoseconds before the countdown ends. The quickest in the history of the Hunger Games.

The male Kiri Tribute's corpse is hardly recognizable; his once hulking, muscular, intimidating frame blown into nothing but charred remains as the mines around the pedestal ignites the isolated explosion that ultimately kills this Games' biggest threat.

From the ruins emerges a miniature metal ball, rolling slowly away from the fading conflagration, blackish soot and slight burns the extent of its damage as it bounces against impact. Almost automatically, a slow-motioned reception is featured on every monitor. Sasori counting down to two. A tribute's arm swinging. The ball taking the path of its wicked aim. It hitting the Kiri tribute's ramp. The motion sensors getting awry, blinking an angry red. And the mines that were supposed to keep tributes from getting an unfair head start detonate all at once.

Another flash of the perpetrator and Sasuke recognizes it as the district token of the boy from the Land of Iron. From the satisfied smirk flitting momentarily on the boy's face, the ball's direction is no accident. One down. And it is supposedly the big boss.

The Capitol has no choice but to credit this Games' first death to the rather audacious cheater.

One.

And the gong clangs.

Let the Games' begin.

Hinata runs away from the Cornucopia, as did half of the other competitors, not at all hesitating as their minds advice them to flee and avoid the fight that most of them have no chances of winning. Even the prize of useful supplies and the security of well-sharpened weapons do nothing to reverse their tracks, the possession of such things but an afterthought against the essence of survival. She doesn't trip to her feet, thankfully. The adrenaline is doing its job well. She runs away with the sole intention of living to Naruto's expectations. Or so Sasuke cannot help but see as for a moment, she looks back at the bloodshed…

And leaves a message underneath a tree trunk that only Konoha lumberjacks would understand.

I am just yonder.

Meet me.

She runs once more. Faster.

Back in the Cornucopia, Naruto's inventory of supplies consists of a holster of throwing knives, a canister of smoke bombs, a water tumbler, a few meters of rope and two pieces of nutri bar, all of which safely tucked in an orange backpack which he did not even bother to coat with camouflage. He was also the one who speared the boy from Iron to death, delivering the justice the Capitol thinks that the Cheater deserves. It was necessary anyway. Sasuke understands that Naruto is about to be the second kill in this Games if the treacherous boy had come any closer.

The second kill is made four minutes and eight seconds after the Countdown. The GameMakers has to repeat the video several times, in slow, magnified and even enhanced versions before another was made, five minutes later.

There are several reasons why Konoha is a career district.

Naruto is showing why.

When you kill the right person in the Games, you are bound to be the instant favorite.

But is killing ever right?

Naruto runs, avoids the other Careers, sees the message, runs some more.

Only six tributes were killed in the BloodBath. The fewest in twenty years.

This indeed, Sasuke thinks as Naruto gets closer and closer to where Hinata waits. This indeed will be such a record breaking Games.

He is unsure whether that is the best thing for Hinata right now.

**xvii. Arena**

"**The arena could be anything. Five years ago, it was a burning desert."**

**-Atala**

"**You know Tenten, they could kill us anytime. That is our fate. The moment we are reaped, we never were the district's tributes. We never were Konoha's. We are the Capitol's tribute. And I'd rather die crushed in that mountain than be an offering to the false God those people are worshipping." **

**- Hyuuga Neji to Tenten, before their deaths. **

Sasuke's arena had vaguely resembled a tropical island—a picturesque beach in the west, sandy ground or deep further, a mushy mess for a terrain, several coconuts all around and even a beautiful sunset was added to the mix. If it weren't for monkey mutations, the nightly fog poisoning, the highly perilous thunderstorms and of course, the other murderous contestants, he would have thought he was on a dream vacation. Sasuke spent his whole time in the arena half-naked, smiling as he killed tributes with a chokuto a sponsor sent—the most expensive gift ever paid for and consequently, the highest price he had to pay for as well. They didn't care that he was only twelve, cheering him on as he killed one after another. Sasuke, on the other hand, just forgot that he was supposed to be. The important thing for him was that, at least, he was old enough.

Hinata and Naruto's arena for this year is in several ways almost the exact facsimile of Konoha's forest. The foliage is thick, with trees towering in impossible heights that only those in the lumber industry wouldn't be rendered into feeling insignificant amidst the majestic scenery. Mockingjays tweet, free as it soars. Toads croak, wary of an intruder. Leafs fall in remembrance of autumn's dismal air. Some of the loathed jabberjays peck on trunks. The Konoha tributes are evidently the ones with the most advantage in this venue. Hinata climbs up so high on a tree that not even Artemis can pierce her from below. Naruto effortlessly crosses the river.

In the next four hours, nobody dies. Eighteen tributes remain. The most in twenty years. But as Naruto searches for the tracks that Hinata might have made, messages she might have left, the Capitol is left amused. It is the Star-Crossed Lovers! Hashtagged as #TheSearch. The Gamemakers meanwhile do nothing. They wait.

Naruto finds another message, not at all realizing that it is same one from hours ago. It seems that the guy is not at all the smartest tool in the shed after all.

"Remember that the key for your act is for you to stay together." Kurenai had preached, as a final briefing before the Hovercraft descended for them. Sasuke had nodded uncommitantly, agreeing but not quite having a heart to say that aloud. Beside him, Hinata stayed impassive, white eyes concentrating instead on the hovering vehicle. Naruto was all ears as usual. "Staying together is staying alive."

"Your promise." He reminded Naruto. The idiot only smiled, gave him a thumbs up. "Yours too." He quipped and joked about Sasuke not minding to feed more mouths as long as he could still kiss one. The mentor wondered how the guy could see through him so uncannily.

The reunion is being unnecessarily postponed, complains the Capitol people from the social media as words after words of dissatisfaction stream down the web some hours later. We want them to meet already! This Games is already so boring without some action. Why not throw Naruto a fireball and make him run towards where Hinata is anyway?

"They need to reunite now." remarks Kurenai, as she frantically sorts through the sponsor accounts that might come handy later. Nimble fingers fly in lightning speed over the keyboard, her monitor displaying live images of Hinata and Naruto side by side as one waits and the other searches. Kurenai had been Sasuke's mentor years ago as well. He wonders if she was this busy with his unprecedented popularity. "The GameMakers are not the most patient people, you know."

Sasuke agrees. Because he knows that the longer that Hinata is alone and defenseless in the arena, the higher the chances that he wouldn't have someone receiving the gifts that he has prepared for her after countless nights of fucking the ugliest people.

So he helps Naruto in the only way he knows how.

The descent of the parachute startles Naruto. It glides away from him, swinging in the air as if taunting him. He should have been suspicious and he is. But he is enchanted enough to follow what might be a treasure inside. Chasing it, he stumbles, slides and trips but he is determined. Those blue eyes never falter, choosing to look ahead rather than stake a watchout for anything to be wary of. A few trudges later and he is already a step below Hinata's tree. The girl calls for him, soft voice resonated by the mockingjays. Naruto smiles in relief as he scales up with ease towards her.

Trees are their element. Even the most sheltered of Konoha's citizens knows how to climb one and trees in Konoha are the tallest in the world. If anything, it almost seems like this Games is made for them after all…

That even Hinata is proving to be someone you should never count out is reassuring.

Naruto crawls. Hinata inchs closer. And it is all so romantic.

Their lips meet when they are close enough to the other and as planned, the act once again recommences.

Hinata does not push Naruto away like she did Sasuke this morning.

Sasuke turns his head away from the sight.

The rest of the world does not.

…

**xviii. Payment**

"**It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart." **

**- Finnick Odair**

"**Now I understand why neesan and Sasuke chose not to remove that scar. And why Naruto inflicted it. You never looked beautiful without it I think."**

**- Hyuuga Hanabi to Hyuuga Hinata, during the Justice Building Goodbyes for the Quarter Quell. **

Sasuke spends the rest of the first night in a Capitol woman's arms, because in order for Hinata to live, he has to.

Sasuke does not want to ponder how old the woman is. But past the ridiculous green hair and unhealthily yellow, pasty skin, the woman is actually quite pretty, with the elegantly-carved contours of her face that Sasuke has no doubt that she has paid for with ten times the amount of money that she spent to be in his company tonight. Hazel eyes widen as her too perfect body writhes beneath his, too smooth and impossibly toned legs circling his hips as he instinctively bucks forward. Too soft hands trailing across his spine. Too beautiful lips nipping and kissing along his jawline. He takes whatever pleasure he can get from the act, moving as rehearsed and sucking where it feels good. This woman pays well but Hinata had been nothing like this last night.

Her hands were calloused, rough and tested by the manual labor she did behind the management of their pharmaceuticals. Scars decorated her skin as they presented the evidence of her life as merely the oppressed—her body imperfect, her face too red, her stature rather petite. Her eyes leaked tears when he entered her, even though he did try to be gentle as he slipped himself in. Her lips refused to caress his. "Don't kiss me." She did insist. As of yet, Hinata had not known how to work her hands in order to give him the carnal pleasure he longed to take from her. Instead, Hinata had worked to the unconscious intent of taking everything from him, as she finally gave him a taste of what life would be if he worked hard enough. Sasuke is willing too. He would gladly fuck a hundred Capitol women over and over. He would gladly go through a thousand unwanted orgasms. He would gladly surrender himself to this world. If that only meant that he could make love _with_ her once more.

Hinata had been beautiful underneath him.

And this woman—this ugly, repulsive, sadomasochistic woman—who paid him to make the sex hurt—all for a promise that Hinata would have a decent dinner in the next several nights that they will remove the food supply in the arena—this woman, this rich woman who has the money to keep Hinata alive, could not even compare.

When they finish and Sasuke is preparing to leave—his tributes might be waking up any moment after all and who knows if the GameMakers are indeed dumb enough to launch the fireball?—he reminds the woman that the clock is ticking and it is in her best interest to drop in the sponsorship for his tributes now that the Games are on their ripest stage because he'd be pretty busy with his duties tonight as well...

"Sure." The woman drones, doll like features immaculate and not a single hair askew. A nonexistent (perhaps they are green?) eyebrow rises fractionally. She lights up a cigarette. Nicotine-tinged smoke condensates between them. Sasuke eyes her warily. The Capitol accent is thick and grating when she speaks again. "But the most I can buy for them is just a box of matches. A container of steak would be too much of a gamble. I think I'm not satisfied yet Sasuke-kuuuuun. Why boy? Even I can feel that your heart is not in it."

No.

"I have a condition. Come over to mama tonight, 'kay Sasuke-kuuuuun?" she purrs, expression lewd as she shamelessly rubs her naked body before him. "Make me happy tonight and I might reconsider sending a bow and arrow for Naruto-kuuuuuun to use and kick ass. Surely you are not too busy with your duties now? I'd like to help Naruto-kuuuun as best as I caaaaaaan."

Naruto.

"I could care less about the girl actually."

No.

"Olga-sama does not like girls as victors, don't I? My husband thinks she's pretty. He does not say but I know what the bastard thinks. And I don't agree. I hate her. She is stealing Naruto-kuuuuun from the pinkhead. She should just have let her sister go. What a slut."

No.

"I'm prettier right, Sasuke-kuuuuunnnn?"

No.

And Sasuke realizes that even before Hinata has encountered any of the other tributes from the arena, she is already making enemies.

And it is from the real, more dangerous ones.

Sasuke could only hope that Naruto has enough dignity not to break his promise.

To protect Hinata.

Or to at least make her go fast. Not let the sadists do it.

Because he might not be able to keep his.

Indeed, is she better off dead?

**(TBC)**

**Ugh. Me and my weird writing style. (So SasuSaku is canon?) **

**My keyboard is giving me massive trouble (the letter E is a particular problem, being reversed with other letters) so it's either until I have it fixed or I get used to it that I will start on the next chapter for both Love Wheel and this. Stupid laptop and it gets even worse, I tell you. I actually only managed to purge this out because I'm particularly productive at this moment. That is thanks to all of your encouragements and the fact I just want to rile up that troll anon who hates SasuHina (hmph)**

**Thanks to all the reviewers and I hope you watch out for the next part of the Games (And yes, I decided to write the Quarter Quell. Man, I really have to reread the books.). Next is Naruto's POV and anyone else pity Sasuke? I really enjoy writing his POV the most.**

**I hope you are still enjoying this. Please review. **


	5. The Star-Crossed Lovers

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**Part Five**

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**The Star-Crossed Lovers**

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**Naruto**

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**xviv. The Act**

**"So are we going to keep acting for the cameras and then keep on ignoring each other in real life?"**

**- Peeta Mellark to Katniss Everdeen**

**"I believe we are hurting someone and one another as we keep through this. But we have to do this. I have no choice. It is the only way. I am sorry Hinata but one of us has to live."**

**-Uzumaki Naruto's thoughts**

In any Hunger Games, a bonfire is not to be risked and even at the deafening sounds of crickets chirping, they have to be as quiet as possible. Speaking in whispers is not out of the norm. The Capitol would be able to hear them anyway. Stealth is a weapon too after all and most times, it is infinitely more effective in a war than the most skilled of swordsmen. You have to hit them where they don't expect it. And though Naruto knows he is the type to run screaming war when charging, he can at least testify that he could also be unpredictable enough.

The night gets deeper, bathing the arena with an unnatural sinister glow that is darker than even Konoha's blackout. Which is weird. Nights in the arena have always been unnatural. The sky is colored purple and the moon is one flaring white ball. A visually-challenged person can navigate the woods if he only tried enough but Hinata prefers not to take any risk. And yet it stays dark.

First night in the arena, and Naruto finds out that Hyuuga Hinata is the type to take care of somebody else's negligence without saying anything about it. She puts dirt on his backpack, stating that the obnoxious orange color would attract a predator—human or otherwise—from miles away. She has also figured out how to use the water canister which means that somewhere in this forsaken place is a flowing river. And that for them to not get hypothermia in the cold that seeps as nightfall came; the best way to share the same blanket is to minimize their span.

Naruto's arms are around her and he could feel Hinata's warm breath on his neck, somewhat feeling inappropriately excited as she snuggles closer.

And it feels oh so natural.

"I don't want to be a part of their games." Hinata had said, in the last night before this nightmare. She looked bedraggled, like she has just gone through a rough night. Eyes bloodshot. Her cute button nose crunched. And she was limping. Hinata had come across him as he stared out of the Capitol windows, watching all the lights dance. And it struck him home that Hinata looked like Sakura after she sobbed and writhed and lamented beneath him. Like a woman bidding a last lover's goodbye.

Sasuke is a bastard. But he sure damn is a lucky one.

"They do not own me." She insisted and her eyes are distant as she sat in front of him.

"But what if it is the only way you have to survive?" he countered, eyebrows raised. Below them, the Capitol stayed awake as they always did even when it was not the Hunger Games. He wondered how in the world these supposedly educated people could justify things such as these. He wondered if they know enough tragedy for them to reverse that. He wondered if there is a way.

But indeed, what is tragedy?

What could make these people think that they are doing the worst sin?

"Then I'd rather just die." She stared at all the artificial trees that surrounded the whole city and he realized with a start that it was a parallel to the thought that a real tree would rather die in here as well than to be forever be blinded by a pretentious illumination.

He would not let that.

He realized that if there is someone he would hate to see perish, it would be her. She does not deserve it. She does not deserve to be in this world.

Nobody does.

"But there could be a next life you know, I believe it! In the next life we could be just normal highschool students. No Capitol. No Hunger Games. Heck, we could be ninjas even and nobody would stop us. You never know…"

It would have been better if she is harder to love.

But then again, the world has to. She is the light, a reminder of a better tomorrow. The girl who gave him bread when nobody else would. The girl Sasuke thought is worth living for when everyone else died. The girl who sacrificed herself for her sister because she knew that Hanabi _would_ win. And that victors never do. They survive. They never win. But Hinata would. He only wishes that he would live long enough to see it.

He smiled, knowing that after this and if all goes well, Sasuke would have to share Hinata with the whole world.

Believe it.

He did not tell Hinata this. But she knows. Hinata looked at him like he was mad and told him in a soft, resigned voice that she just cannot afford to think like that.

**xx. The Gamemakers**

**"The Gamemakers' job is to make the annual Hunger Games as spectacular, bloody, frightening and entertaining as possible. When the Head Gamemaker feels that the Games are becoming boring, they will introduce some new element such as a forest fire or tsunami or announce a feast to excite the audience to drive the tributes closer together and kill some of them off. They control everything that happens in the arena."**

**-About the Gamemakers, The Hunger Games Wiki**

**"What actually matters is that… for these people to like Hinata. Not the Capitol. I don't care if that woman hates her and would rather have her dead. Her opinion does not matter. Right, Kurenai? It's the Gamemakers. They have to like her. They liked me. They liked you. And it is what matters. Right? Right?"**

**-Uchiha Sasuke, in his desperation as he watches the Games unfold**

The moment he feels Hinata gasp beside him, he knows that they, after a long time of inactivity are already up to something. Two nights ago has been unusually quiet, with nothing but the sound of nature to occupy their thoughts. The sponsors have not sent anything after that one that led him to Hinata but that is understandable. Naruto can hunt and for now as the food supply in the arena is still abundant, they have everything they need.

And it rained last night too.

For two days he has not heard of any cannons and the first batch back in the Bloodbath only marked six dead, faces soon to be forgotten in the course of the Games showing one last time in the skies. The Careers are still very much alive, including them—the ones in alliance probably already reigning in the Cornucopia. Naruto hadn't had the opportunity to team up with them because by then, Hinata has already gone far and he knows he has a promise to keep.

Eighteen left.

Six dead. One of them by his own hands.

Two days.

They have an act to make.

And besides, even sans weapons which truthfully neither of them are skilled enough to use, Naruto and Hinata already have the advantage. They are the main characters of these Games, he knows now. All they have to is to keep it that way.

"Thank God you are okay, Hinata-chan."

"I don't know why I ran."

"That's a good thing."

"How did it go?"

"I killed the boy from Iron."

Hinata looks absolutely horrified. Which is something that he does not get. Sasuke killed and fooled more people than he can count, all for something that the Capitol must have found valuable in exchange for his dearest's life. He could see it in Sasuke's eyes, the fact that he could kill more just for Hinata's sake.

He wants to retort that Sasuke probably could do much worse for her but that is not what the Capitol wants to hear. "I just want to go to you as soon as possible. I saw the message."

And from her next words, the act commences. "I was hopeful you would come indeed."

What did Sasuke tell her?

"We're still friends, Hinata-chan right?"

"We don't even talk much back in Konoha. How can you say that so easily, Naruto-kun?"

"You kissed me. That must mean something."

"I'm sorry then."

"Didn't you feel it too? The spark?"

"That is clichéd."

"But I know what I want. And I see it in you."

"How about Sakura?"

He makes sure he looks like he does not know how to respond.

Hinata chooses the best manner to catch up with the flow. "Make up your mind." She admonishes icily, white eyes perfectly sad. She inches to the other side of the branch and thus marks the first intrigue between this year's star-crossed lovers.

In retrospect, Naruto can see that the whole thing is beyond cheesy. Sasuke surely would be cringing in utter disgust by now, even though Hinata and Naruto only kissed that one spontaneous time. But Kurenai did say that in consideration with the ever gullible Capitol, anything would be legit enough, if played correctly. For one thing, the Capitol didn't see Kurenai as the one who duped them in her own Games, accepting only her explanation that she was on some sort of PMS. What else would you expect from people who would purge their food to eat more while greeting each other a Happy Hunger Games?

He wonders why nobody else ever thought of this.

The ever invisible Gamemakers are an evil entity of considerable notoriety— an unseen, scheming, devilish bunch of PR officers that is any victor's worst nightmare and a dead tribute's cruel execution. He has been warned of this. He sees this proven when the fireball is launched—their tree burns and so does everything else-and Naruto finds himself clutching Hinata's trembling frame as they gaze up fearfully at the grinning, murderous Careers who met them when they outran the forest fire.

Either way, there is no escape from this. The Gamemakers after all, are the Hunger Games "divine intervention". Puerile Gods teaching humans the art of making fire, in order for them to incinerate themselves in the end.

The real Games begin.

**xxi. The Careers**

**"In District 12, we call them the Career Tributes, or just the Careers. And like as not, the winner will be one of them."**

**-Katniss Everdeen**

**"We were almost friends. I think that is what Naruto has been telling me all that time inside the cave. He probably thought that the five of us would always be and that all of us would come out of the Games alive. It was a foolish thought but then again, it made more sense than putting twenty-four people in a death match and thinking it wouldn't incite a rebellion soon."**

**-Hyuuga Hinata**

There are always and invariably two sets of what they dub the Career tributes in every Hunger Games. When that tradition started, nobody can remember but for as long as Naruto lived, there has always been the academy building in the west side of the Konoha district, overseeing the growth of the more privileged children who trained for the Games, who trained as killers. Hinata had attended the first three years in the academy, then altogether forfeited after realizing that she is better off a pharmacist. Naruto never had the money too but the forests are as good as any mock-Hunger Games.

In Konoha, such training is not mandatory just yet, unlike in Kiri, where refutably the orphans' only way of being honorable is to be in the Hunger Games. That is, so to speak the best they can be. But Konoha produces enough exceptional, unforgettable tributes and outstanding victors to be qualified for the infamous Careers, despite their preparations being nowhere as rigorous as the other richer districts. Over the years, some of the untrained Seam children even get far. But in the end, blunt force always wins. So while Konoha people's unique disposition statistically keeps the tributes alive for a while, it is skill that only matters in the final duel.

The final duel is the highlight of the Games and in this crucial moment do the Gamemakers have the sense to leave everything to nature. There has been many a time when the popular ones die at the hand of the most unlikeable Career.

Naruto recognizes that.

But before that are the usual band of Careers that eliminate all threats as soon as possible, before the momentous stabbing-each-other-in-the-backs that everyone, even the districts look forward to see. Twelve districts. Five Careers. Two gangs. Kiri and Kumo always go together, that's a given so fearsome even optimistic Konoha learned to dread it. Iwa, who are bitter rivals with Kiri, makes their own group with both Suna and Konoha, allegedly the weaker two of the five Career districts. Things tend to get all bloody when these two gangs prematurely cross each other paths so the Gamemakers try not to ruin the climax.

By making sure they only meet at the right moment.

But when that forest fire—no accident, obviously—forces Naruto and Hinata, the only careers that have played solitaire so far to come across the remaining tribute of Kiri and those other two from Kumo… The girl being an unattractive knife-chucker who never misses and the other two just tanned brutes who can kill people with bare hands.

Naruto wonders what exactly they are up to now.

The Careers look nothing like what the both of them expected. Cocky—check. No less dangerous-looking—yes. Though they somewhat look too enervated to actually be sure of their victory, as they usually are. He puts Hinata behind him, wary of the Kiri girl's wrist-flicking stunts that probably earned her a ten and the other two who are grinning weakly, but still grinning nonetheless. He glares at the threesome. Knuckles are cracked. Teeth are bared. But somehow, they don't strike Naruto as anything intimidating after a few moments of stareoff.

After all, the guy from Kiri who earned an eleven was instantly killed by a mere ball.

The Kiri girl's posture is unsteady. The other two try futilely to hide it but it shows. Hinata's hands tighten on his arm, her sudden Eureka gesture making Naruto know of their possible advantage already. The deduction is overwhelming and Naruto can now smell a fruitful alliance brewing before either of them outgrow their usefulness.

Before any of the three can make a move, the blonde boy scoffs, smirks and says as he lifts himself up with Hinata, suddenly feeling more confident of getting through these mutts: "You're hungry." He points out amusedly and the Kiri girl throws a knife.

It missed.

Naruto and Hinata takes a step back.

"They took over the Cornucopia, didn't they?" Naruto asks, wanting to confirm the startling thought that he and Hinata reached at the same time. That Iwa and Suna are now the leading Careers in these Games, complete with all the supplies and they are the Hunters while the once great Kiri and Kumo runs away, starving and desperate. Alienated, because they haven't known what it is like to be a prey this time. "Your leader was killed by a damn ball and you became a pathetic headless stinkworm that is driven away from their territory. I should have known. Suna and Iwa are pretty good this year."

"What the hell, Leaf!"

"You don't have anything with you. Except those knives." Naruto continues, undettered. "And don't give me those baloney that these two here are hand-to-hand combatants. They are only good at close-range and even so…" He looks at Hinata. "You and I both know that the Hyuuga clan are notoriously known to be the best. You saw Neji last year, right?"

Another knife is thrown. Naruto and Hinata ducks slightly in instinct. Hinata did train as a Hyuuga too. And Naruto always had some projectile or another being thrown at him back at home. Behind them at the canopy, the knife vanishes irretrievably.

Hinata looks back, eyes wide at the close shave.

Naruto smirks some more, enjoying this. "And the knife-chucking is only good when you are not delirious with hunger, you know that. Don't they always say that in the academy? Water is bestfriend all that crap. Happy Hunger Games, ain't it? Poor people who can't hunt. Hinata and me have been well-fed these three days. What about you? Enjoying the Starvelympics, I suppose?"

The girl finally snapped. "What do you do, huh. Two-timing lover boy? Suck faces?"

Naruto ignores the livid, badmouthing girl and faces the silent Kumo tributes, knowing that they are the ones more susceptible to his offer. "We are survivors. I can hunt. Hinata here can heal. You need that as I see that you are injured as well. But dare to stab us and we can kill. Otherwise, we can help you in overtaking Suna and Iwa. Numbers do matter right. And I was the one who killed your leader's killer, anyway."

The Careers look at each other.

Naruto extends a friendly arm, smiles. He tries to ignore Hinata who warningly tries to hold him back for it is better that he proceed alone from now on while she would focus more on their act that would gain her enough sympathy if he dies too early. "What do you say, friends?" he offers. "An alliance?"

And he now has an idea how to protect Hinata from now on.

Sasuke better keep his promise.

…

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**xxii. Viewer's Sympathy **

**" Embrace the probability of imminent death and just know in your heart, that there is nothing I can do to save you."**

**-Haymitch Abernathy**

**"Remember, he would kiss her more often than you could count. Sasuke, they are supposed to be madly in love."**

**-Yuuhi Kurenai**

The funniest, most ironic thing is that of all people who might present a love triangle for their act, it is the sadistic, temperamental knife chucker from Kirigakure who is probably to dumb to think of any ruse, that starts crushing on Hinata.

It begins… well, to be honest, Naruto has no idea how that started. All he knows that in the next two days that the five of them stuck together—with Kiri pretending to be the leader of their hapless band and the other two keeping their mouth shut in a way that so undignified of any Kumo tribute that the whole Cloud district must be mourning right now—Kiri has taken into hanging around Hinata and fiercely glaring at her district partner because of the painful reality that the only reason that Hinata has not bolted out of the Career's presence just yet is because Naruto is with her.

So while Kiri flirts in that creepy way of hers (not to mention that she's a girl and Naruto never knew anyone more heterosexual than Hinata), the poor, harassed girl tries to inch as far as away as possible, which means hiding behind the amusedly grinning Naruto and the knife-thrower throwing a fit, instead of trying to polish those unused knives of hers, as is more practical.

"So lover boy…" The crazy, homo girl taunts, having nothing else to do after Hinata just made it clear that she prefers to die in her knives than to faint because of her love—her own corny words. "Please tell me all of these is not just an act."

"What act?" Naruto has enough temerity to look nonplussed. Because, believe it or not, Kirigakure also presents a threat in that department. As shallow and dumb as the girl proves to be, the much shallower and dumber Capitol might just believe what comes out of her filthy mouth.

And Kirigakure is convinced that if there is anything more unbelievable than Konoha, Kumo and Kiri teaming up this year, it is Naruto and Hinata kissing under the tree, something that the blonde boy is grateful that they have not think of as a dare just yet.

"I saw you and that pink-haired girl." She states, her voice dripping venom and speaking as if Hinata is not just within earshot. The Career's eyes are probing, dark and inquisitive. "And I watched enough porn back home to know what is the real thing."

"Ah. But isn't girl-on-girl-sex rather too far-fetched a reference for you to say that?" He laughs delightedly when he sees that the other girl knows how to blush. "Believe it, Sakura is just for fun before this. And who said that Hinata and I are lovers? I don't remember making any mention of a relationship."

It hurts to say that.

He hopes against hope that Sakura would never hear those things. And yet, even he can recognize a will of the wisp when it is thrown directly on his goofy face.

"You're not?" Kiri even sounds hopeful. Her eyes are glinting.

"I didn't say that." Naruto smirks. And Kiri sighs.

Hinata squeezes his shoulders.

He wraps his arms around her. And buries his face on her hair, observing that Sakura never smelt this good. And Hinata feels so small against him. And that suddenly he feels empowered to be able to protect the girl who the all great Sasuke he could never seem to be on par with, would not be able to. "I didn't say that." He repeats because he can feel Hinata's increasing heartbeat. He tries to forget what Kurenai said. Because he's just a Seam boy and how would Hinata ever love someone like him?

Indeed.

But then again, how could someone like Sasuke hope that Hinata can love him too?

"Because I think we have more than enough time to be able to say that silently towards ourselves."

And suddenly, that does not feel like a lie at all.

He hugs her tighter because he could feel his own heart plummeting as well.

The Careers despite themselves, all smile.

And Naruto realizes that they are all humans too, just the more unfortunate ones that had to forget about that. Trained as killers. Merciless. Fearsome. But he forgot that they are children too and that if anything, they are probably worst off than anyone else in these Games.

They died first before anyone else did.

From above, parachutes fall.

The Gamemakers stay quiet.

But Naruto knows well what they are up to. Camaraderie is something to revel from before these exact people kill each other two days later. And as they make friends with the Careers now, he knows they would prefer more to see them as mortal enemies later on. And that at the final showdown, they would like to see him kill Hinata.

Naruto promised never to let that happen.

Knife-chucker eyes them jealously. Kumo girl chuckles. Kumo boy tries to hold back his laughter as well. The fire burns and the birds roast. Hinata tries to wiggle away from him. Naruto's hold is unrelenting.

Sasuke would have been wincing by now, thinking that them being chummy is rather unnecessary. Kurenai would have been snickering. But both mentors know that for now, they are safe.

At another life, they all would have been friends.

And suddenly, Naruto wants nothing more than to kill all those people who made that impossible.

…

**(TBC)**

**Hm. Naruto's POV is very hard to write but I have already established a pattern and it would be too unprofessional to violate that. Not to mention I still don't have a new keyboard so this chapter is an exceptional monster.**

**Loving the reviews and totally ignoring the troll. Because dude, we just want to read a story. I don't think I am violating the rules more than people who write lemons, roleplays and author's notes as chapters in here. And we have a lot of them and nobody cares.**

**Simple prose but something that sets the stage for Hinata's chapter later on, which will be entitled "The Kill". Please watch out for that.**

**I'm not feeling well as of currently. Please review and that's happy points for me...**


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